Plastic container



Aug. 6, 1968 s. L. BELCHER ET AL 3,395,826

I PLASTIC CONTAINER v Filed Oct. 3, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. SAMUEL. L.. BELQHEK DQAME O. BIGLIN' 6, 1968 s. L. BELCHER ET AL 3,395,826

PLAST IC CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1966 United States Patent 3,395,826 PLASTIC CONTAINER Samuel L. Belcher, Duane O. Biglin, Jerome R. Grothjau, and Carl E. Koeniger, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Owens-Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 583,540 7 Claims. (Cl. 220-60) This invention relates generally to plastic tub-type containers and more particularly to one-piece thin-wall plastic containers which can be stacked together in a nested relationship without jamming.

The use of plastics for forming containers has been increasing for a number of years. Particularly in cup or tubtype containers of the type used to package cottage cheese or other dairy products, plastic containers have made great inroads in a market which previously was dominated by paper containers. It is desirable that such tub-type containers and the lids for closing them meet certain requirements. For example, the container is desirably provided with a stacking feature in order to permit a group of containers to be nested together in a stacked relationship without jamming. A container construction showing one type of stacking feature is disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,139,213, issued June 30, 1964. It is also desirable that the lid closing the container makes an effective seal therewith. Closures for tub-type containers are disclosed in numerous United States patents including: Nos. 3,065,- 875; 3,137,409; and 3,173,571.

The present invention provides a container and lid combination having superior characteristics from the standpoint of stacking, strength, ease of applying the closure member and effectiveness of the seal between the container and the lid.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a thinwalled plastic container which can be stacked without jamming and which has superior strength and sealing characteristics.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a container constructed to permit a closure member to be readily applied thereto without jamming.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a package including a tub-type container and a closure member in which the closure member etTects a double seal on the container member.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the annexed sheets of drawings on which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view showing a pair of containers in nested relationship;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing more clearly the stacking portion of the containers illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a single container; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a container with a closure member afiixed thereto and further showing in phantom lines the position of the closure just prior to its being snapped into sealing engagement with the container.

Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a container generally designated by the numeral comprising a bottom portion 11 and a sidewall portion 12 tapering upwardly and outwardly therefrom. The container terminates at its upper end in a rim and stacking portion generally designated by the numeral 13. The rim and stacking portion includes an annular bead 14 which extends outwardly from an imaginary straight line element following the angle of taper of the sidewall 12. The head 14 forms an externally disposed lower stacking shoulder. Above the bead 14 is formed an internally disposed upper stacking shoulder 15. The upper stacking shoulder 15 projects inwardly and is of a lesser radial extent than the bead 14 and serves to support the bead 14 of another container telescoped therein. The upper stacking shoulder 15 is formed with an increased mass of plastic material from that used in the sidewall portion and is at least twice as thick as the sidewall portion. Such increased thickness insures that the upper stacking shoulder can adequately support a number of containers without collapsing or being excessively or permanently deformed. Outwardly from the upper stacking shoulder 15 is a web portion 16 having joined thereto an injection molded rim 17.

The rim 17 terminates at its upper end in an upper rim surface 18. The outer edge of the rim 17 is defined by an outer wall member 19 terminating in a lower corner 20 at said web 16. Joining the outer wall 19 to the upper rim surface 18 is a tapered camming surface 21 which permits a cap being applied thereto to easily telescope over the rim 17. Joining the upper rim surface 18 to the web 16 is an inner wall 22 which has a greater radial extent than the bead 14. Such construction permits a container to be stacked therein without the bead 14 jamming against the inner wall portion 22 of the injection molded rim 17 even though such bead portion 14 is axially aligned therewith.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the container is provided with a closure or lid member generally designated by the numeral 25. The lid member 25 includes a central panel portion 26 terminating at its outer periphery in an upwardly extending annular wall member 27. The wall member 27 is sized to engage and seal the container at the inner periphery of the container just below the internally disposed upper stacking shoulder 15. The lid member 25 is also provided with a top edge portion 28 joined to the vertical wall portion 27 by an upwardly and outwardly flaring wall portion 29. An annular skirt 30 extends downwardly from the top portion 28 and has at its lower extremity an inwardly projecting annular head 31 which engages the injection molded rim below the corner 20.

The lid 25 thus effects a multiple seal with the container 10. One seal is effected by virtue of the annular skirt 30 and annular bead 31 engaging the rim 17 and the other seal is effected by the vertical wall 27 engaging the container just below the internally disposed upper stacking shoulder 15.

As illustrated in phantom lines in FIGURE 4, the affixing of the closure member 25 to the container 10 is effected without jamming by virtue of the presence of the upwardly and inwardly tapering camming surface 21 which guides the lid member easily over the injection molded rim 17. If desired, the bead 31 of the lid member 25 may be provided with a similar camming surface 32 which also assists in preventing jamming.

It can be readily seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides a new container and a new and novel package which is thin-walled, using a minimum of thermoplastic material and yet possessing the desired strength characteristics, which can be etfectively sealed without jamming of the lid on the container during such sealing operation, which has a multiple seal between the container and the lid, and a container portion of which can be nested in stacked relationship with another without jamming. As mentioned, the present invention is directed primarily to thin-Walled plastic containers. Typically, the sidewall portion 12 including the bead 14 of such container will have an average thickness of from .012 to .018 inch and the upper stacking shoulder 15 will have a thickness of from .040 to .065 inch.

Inasmuch as numerous modifications will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A one-piece plastic container comprising a bottom,

a sidewall extending upwardly and tapering outwardly from said bottom, said sidewall terminating at its upper end in a rim and stacking portion,

said rim and stacking portion including an annular bead integrally formed with said sidewall and extending outwardly from an imaginary straight line element following the angle of taper of said sidewall, said bead forming an externally disposed lower stacking shoulder,

an internally disposed upper stacking shoulder having a lesser radial extent than said lower stacking shoulder, said upper stacking shoulder being at least twice as thick as said sidewall, and

a solid injection molded rim extending upwardly and outwardly from said upper stacking shoulder and joined thereto by a web, said injection molded rim extending upwardly from said web, the innermost portion of said injection molded rim having a greater radial extent than said bead to prevent jamming of containers when placed in stacked relationship.

2. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein said web is thinner than said upper stacking shoulder.

3. The container as defined in claim 2 wherein said web is thicker than said sidewall.

4. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein said injection molded rim includes an upper rim surface, an outer wall portion outwardly and downwardly from said rim surface, and a camming surface tapering inwardly and upwardly from said wall portion and joining to said rim portion.

5. A package comprising in combination:

(a) a one-piece plastic container having a bottom,

a sidewall extending upwardly and tapering outwardly from said bottom, said sidewall terminating at its upper end in a rim and stacking portion,

said rim and stacking portion including an annular bead integrally formed with said sidewall and extending outwardly from an imaginary straight line element following the angle of taper of said sidewall, said bead forming an externally disposed lower stacking shoulder,

an internally disposed upper stacking shoulder having a lesser radial extent than said lower stacking shoulder, said upper stacking shoulder being at least twice as thick as said sidewall, and

an injection molded rim extending upwardly and outwardly from said upper stacking shoulder and joined thereto 'by a Web, said injection molded rim extending upwardly from said web, the innermost portion of said injection molded rim having a greater radial extent than said bead to prevent jamming of containers when placed in stacked relationship,

said injection molded rim having an externally disposed upper corner tapering upwardly and inwardly to form a camming surface; and

(b) a closure engaged to said container including a central panel portion,

an annular wall extending upwardly from said panel portion, the exterior surface of said annular wall sized to sealingly engage said container just below said upper stacking shoulder,

an annular skirt positioned outwardly from said annular wall and radially spaced therefrom,

means for joining said skirt to said annular Wall,

and

an annular bead extending radially inwardly from said skirt and engaging said container beneath said injection molded rim.

6. The package as defined in claim 5 wherein said closure annular skirt is sized to sealingly engage the exterior surface of said injection molded rim.

7. The package as defined in claim 5 wherein said bead is formed with a downwardly facing upwardly and inwardly extending camming surface sized to engage said container camming surface upon the application of said 010- sure to said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,176,868 4/1965 Crisci 220 3,288,340 11/1966 Sharpiro et al.

JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A ONE-PIECE PLASTIC CONTAINER COMPRISING A BOTTOM, A SIDEWALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND TAPERING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM, SAID SIDEWALL TERMINATING AT ITS UPPER END IN A RIM AND STACKING PORTION, SAID RIM AND STACKING PORTION INCLUDING AN ANNULAR BEAD INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH SAID SIDEWALL AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM AN IMAGINARY STRAIGHT LINE ELEMENT FOLLOWING THE ANGLE OF TAPER OF SAID SIDEWALL, SAID BEAD FORMING AN EXTERNALLY DISPOSED LOWER STACKING SHOULDER, AN INTERNALLY DISPOSED UPPER STACKING SHOULDER HAVING A LESSER RADIAL EXTENT THAN SAID LOWER STACKING SHOUL- 